Stapling machine



S. F; BAUWENS STAPLING MACHINE Dec. 30, 1941 2,268,371

Filed Maron 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 30, 1941. s. F BAUWENS 2,268,371

sTAPLING MACHINE Filed-March '25, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 30, 1941 STAPLING MACHINE Seraphne F. Bauwens, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Bauwens Machine Company, Inc.

Application March 23, 1939, Serial No. 263,637

11 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in machines for operating on hat bands or the like, and has particularly to do with machines forming decorative bows on such bands. A hat band of thisr general character is disclosed in my copendingapplication No. 118,205 filed December 30, 1936 now Patent No. 2,166,337, issued July 18, 19 9.

In said copending application I have disclosed a hat band or ribbon which is adapted to be attached to a hat by means effective to hold the band securely in place and yet permit it to be removed quickly and easily for purposes of cleaning or replacement. Integral with or attached to the band is a ydecorative bow conveniently formed by folding a portion of the ribbon material back upon itself and permanently securing it in place as by stapling or the like.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a machine for folding a portion of a hat band or the like to form a decorative bow of attractive appearance and for securing the main portion of the band and the bow in permanent relationship as by stapling.

Another object of the invention is to'provide a stapling machine embodying a novel form of mechanism for folding a band as, for example, in the form of a wedge shaped fold or dart, and for stapling the band while so folded.

The invention also resides in various structural improvements in the machine by virtue of which ruggedness and low cost of construction are combined with ease of manipulation and eifectiveness of operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom perspective View of a hat band folded and stapled by the machine herein disclosed as embodying the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a combined hook and staple before and after being applied to a hat band by the machine herein disclosed.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a stapling machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 4a is a side elevation partly in section of a treadle mechanism adapted to be used with the machine of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5a is a stop motion view of the parts shown in Fig. 5 illustrating particularly the position of the eline-hing dogs upon completion of an operating cycle.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the clinching dog carrier included in the device of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a top perspective view of the portion of folded and stapled band shown in Fig 1 Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the machine of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a partial rear elevation of the machine of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a partial plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 11 is a detail end View of the band folding mechanism included in the machine of Fig. 4 and showing the same in position for starting the folding operation.

Fig. 12 is an end View of the ribbon folding mechanism similar to Fig. 11 but showing the various parts in the positions occupied at the end of the folding operation.

Fig. 13 is a detail vertical sectional view along the line I3-I3 of Fig. 8.

For purposes of exemplication the invention has been shown and described herein as embodied in a machine having ribbon folding mechanism and stapling mechanism, the latter acting to drive a staple I0 (Fig. 2) through a dart or fold I IEL formed in a hat band I I by the folding mechanism. In the particular embodiment illustrated a transverse fiber stiiening strip I2 is secured to the ribbon by the staple. It should be understood that machines embodying the invention are, however, suitable for use in a wide variety of other ribbon folding operations. Accordingly, even though a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in some detail there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to such embodiment, but, on the other hand, the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Briey stated, the stapling mechanism of the machine herein described, is adapted to bend the U-shaped wire staple blank I0, of the form shown in Fig. 2, into the completed tie hook form of Figs. 1 and 3 while applying it to some such article as the hat band Il and the stiffener strip I2. The staple blank l0 is of U-shape and includes two legs Illa and lob, the leg Il)a preferably having a swaged point so that it will not tear Vthe fabric to which it is later hooked. When applied to the hat band II (Figs. 1 and 3) the leg II)b is iiattened or clinched against the face of the reenforcing ber strip I2 so that the staple and strip are clamped firmly to the hat band. Furthermore, this staple also serves to hold the dart or wedge shaped fold I Ia in place in the band December 26, 1989, in which these features of i the invention are fully described and claimed.

In the particular machine illustrated (Fig. 4) the folded portion IIaof the hat' band Il', with the reenforcing strip I2 in place beneath it, is received on a platen formed in part by a horizontal plate I3 carried by a machine frame or bed I4. Registering with an aperture I5 in the plate I3 is a die unit designated generally by the numeral I6. In brief, the hat band II yand fiber strip I2 are clamped in superimposed relation on the die unit I6 by a pivoted stapler head I'I' and a plunger I8 on the stapler head thrusts a staple I0 downward so that both of its legs Il!a and Il)b pierce the hat band I I and ber strip I2. As the staple is driven into the hat band and strip, the die unit I6 automatically clinches the staple leg Il)b against the underside of the material and bends the staple leg I0a into the configuration of Fig- 3.

The stapler Vhead II (Fig. 4) embodies a pair plates of a supporting arm 20, which is pivoted on the machine frame I4 by a pin 2I. Suitable transversev pins 22 join the head side plates I9. The lower edges of the side plates are notched at 23 to receive the fiber strip I2 and hat band II, which are placed beneath the head I'I on the die unit I6. A compression spring 24 normally urges the stapler head supporting arm to its upper or inactive position. To swing the arm 2U and its attached stapler head Il downward into clamping position, a pivoted treadle 25 (Fig. 4a) is depressed. A Vertical link 26 pivoted on the arm 20 at 2'I (Fig. 4) serves to connect the treadle 25 with the arm 20. The lower end of this link 26 extends through an aperture 28 in the treadle (Fig. 4a) and has an enlarged head 26a engageable by the treadle only after it has been depressed a predetermined distance. The purpose of this lost'motion connection betWeen the treadle and connecting link 26 is to accomplish a proper timing of the movement of the stapler head II with relation to certain other parts of the machine which are also actuated by the treadle 25, as will hereinafter appear in greater detail.

To drive the staples I0 after the stapler head II has been moved downward into clamping position, the plunger I8 is thrust axially downward. For this purpose a hand lever 29 (Fig. 4) is mounted for swinging movement on a rock shaft 30 carried by an upright bracket 3l on the machine frame I4. The plunger I8 is yieldably retained in its retracted or inoperative position by a helical compression spring 32. When the lever 29 is swung downward a wear plate 33 on it contacts the head of the plunger I8 so that the plunger is pushed downward and engages one of the staples II), driving its legs Illa and I0L7 down through the band Il and liber strip I2 A reserve supply of the staples I0 is carried in a magazine (not shown) housed in the arm 20 and sta` f pler head I1. The magazine may be of any one of a number of well known forms heretofore available in stapling machines and serves in general to present a fresh staple to the driving plunger I8 upon each successive actuation.

Upon being driven through the folded portion of the hat band II and fiber strip I2 the staple legs Il)ab and IIIb are received and properly bent by the die unit I6. This unit (Fig. 4) embodies a horizontal channel shaped frame 34 screwed to the machine frame I4. Vertically slidable within a notch 35 in the upper leg of the channel frame 34 is a die carrier 36. This carrier is generally rectangular in form (Fig. 6) and includes a body member 31 having a notch or recess 39 in one side face thereof and across which extends a face plate 38, Xed to the body member. A pair of helical compression springs underlie the carrier 35 and yieldably urge it upward to the position of Fig. 5 in which the top of the carrier projects somewhat above the level of the pla-te I3. Ears 3la on the end of the carrier limit its upward movement` Within the recess 3B in the die carrier 36 are mounted a pair of dogs 4I and 42 on pivot pins 43 and 44 respectively. These dogs are shaped and located so that as the staple legs I0 and Ich emerge from the lower side of the fiber strip I2 they are engaged by the respective dogs and deflected toward each other in the course of their emerging movement from the strip. After the staple I0 has been driven home the downward movement of the plunger I8 continues a short distance so that the spring urged die carrier 36 is depressed (to the position of Fig. 5a) and as an incident to the downward movement of the carrier the dogs 4I-42 are swung upward about their respective pivots to complete the requisite clinching and bending of the respective staple legs.

In particular, the dog 4I has a concave curved upper surface 4Ia adapted to engage and bend the staple leg Illa into the shape shown in Fig. 5a while the other crimping dog 42 has a generally flat upper surface 42a which deects and crimps the second staple leg Ib, 'Ihe dog 42 rests on the dog 4I but is maintained sufficiently elevated by the high point on the latter at the end of the curved surface 4 I that it does not interfere with the staple leg Illa. In turn, the dog 4I rests on a fixed abutment 45. Consequently, when the die carrier 36 moves downward, due to the pressure of the plunger I8, the abutment 45 causes the dog 4I to swing upwardly in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. 5 and 5a) and, accordingly, the dog 4I causes the abutting dog 42 to swing upwardly in opposite or clockwise direction. In'this manner the staple legs Il)a and Illb are bent accurately and with precision into the exact finished shape desired (Figs. 5a and 3). Particularly notable here is the fact that at the termination of the staple leg bending operation the upper surface of the dog 42 is substantially horizontal so that the staple leg IIIb is bent or clinched at a precise right angle without any bulging at the point of bending.

An important feature of the machine is the folding mechanism for forming the wedge shaped fold IIa (Fig. 7) in the hat band II, as an incident to the stapling operation. In general, the dart II a is formed by slipping the edge of the hat band II into the slotted nose 46 of a rotatable arm 47 (Figs. 8 and 11), rotating the arm through substantially 270 to the position of Fig. 12 and finally withdrawing the nose 46 from engagement with the band while clamping the folded portion by the stapler head I1 (Fig. 13). For this purpose the arm 41 is mounted for rotation about its own axis to accomplish the necessary twisting or folding of the band and is also mounted for swinging movement from the inactive or elevated position shown in full lines in Fig. 8 to the active position shown in dot-dash lines in such figure. Furthermore, the arm 41 is arranged for axial shifting movement to the retracted position of Fig. 9 to which it is shifted in order to clear the stapler head I1 when the latter is in its clamping position.

The fold forming arm 41 has been shown herein (Figs. 8 to 10) as an elongated fiat sheet metal strip secured to the outer end of a shaft 43. This shaft is journaled for rotation in a housing or block 49 which is pivotally supported by a pin 50 fixed to it and journaled in a generally upright link I so that the arm 41 may be tilted between its upper and lower positions shown in Fig. 8. The link 5I is in turn pivoted on the machine frame I4 by a transverse pin 52 so that it may be tilted from the upright position of Fig. 8 to the retracted position of Fig. 9 to withdraw the arm 41 from engagement with the folded hat band II. A contractile spring 53, anchored at its opposite ends to the link 5I and to the machine frame I4, urges the link in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 8) and a stop pin 54 limits its movement in such direction so that the link is yieldably maintained in upright position.

Both rotative movement of the arm 41 and downward swinging movement of this arm are yieldably resisted by a single biasing means in the form of a counterbalancing weight 55 (Fig. 8). This weight is connected to the shaft 48 by a flexible cord or chain 56 which is anchored to the periphery of a grooved pulley 51 fast on the shaft. The pulley is located at a substantial distance, axially of the shaft 48, from the center of the pivot 50 so that the weight 55 tends to swing the arm 41 to its elevated or inactive position. Such upward movement of the arm is limited by a stop projection 58 screwed to the top of the link 5I and engageable with the housing block 49. Similarly the weight 55 serves to hold the arm 41 in a generally vertical edgewise position and yieldably resists rotation of the arm in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed from the slotted nose end of the arm) since during such rotation the cord 56 is wound on the pulley 41 with a consequent elevation of the weight 55. As herein shown, the normal position of the arm 41 is determined by a stop pin 51a (Fig. 8) carried on one face of a member 6I fast on the shaft 48, the pin engaging one side of an abutment 58a projecting from the adjacent face of the housing 49.

In order to hold in place the fiber strip I2' while the hat band I I is being folded a clamp plate or finger I3a (Fig. 5) is utilized. This clamp plate is pivoted on a pin I3b and is urged into clamping position by a torsion spring I3, which encircles the pin I3b.

To actuate the folding mechanism described above the operator depresses the treadle 25 (Fig. 4a) so that a downward tension is exerted on a flexible connecting cord or chain 59, which is yieldably connected at its lower end to the treadle by means of a tension spring 69. The upper end of this cord (Fig. 8) is fixed to the member 6I which in this instance is formed with a peripheral groove ISIa (Fig. 9) for the recep- ISO tion of the cord. The cord 59 is wound about substantially 270 of the periphery of the member 6I (Fig. 11), when the mechanism is in its initial position shown in full lines in Fig. 8.r Consequently, when the treadle 25 is first moved downward-the resultant tension in the cord 59 swings the arm 41 downward to the dot-dash line position of Fig. 8. During this downward swinging of the arm 41 its rotation is resisted by the biasing weight 55. After the arm 41 has been depressed the operator slips the edge of the hat band II into the slotted nose 46 of the arm 41. Further downward tilting of the arm 41 is prevented by contact of a stop projection 62 (Fig. 9) with a fixed abutment or pin 63. The stop projection 62 is clamped on the pin 5l), which is fast in the shaft housing block 49, so that the stop projection swings with the arm 41. Further depression of the treadle 25 then causes the cord 59 to unwind from about the member 6I in the direction of arrow 59a in Fig. 12 and thus rotate the arm from the vertical edgewise position of Fig. 11 through approximately 270 to the horizontal edgewise position shown in Fig. 12. Rotation of the arm beyond this horizontal position is prevented by engagement of the stop pin 51a with the opposite sides of the abutment 58a as shown in Fig. 9. In the course of this rotation the other cord 56 is partially wound about its pulley 51 so that the biasing weight 55 is elevated. After the fold IIa has been formed in the hat band I I in the manner described above, further depression of the actuating treadle 25 causes the link 26 to be pulled down so that the stapler head I1 is swung into clamping position as previously described. In this way the hat bland II, with its fold properly formed in it, is clamped against the fiber strip I2 which is in turn seated on the top of the die unit I6.

In order to retract the arm 41 out of engagement with the folded and clamped hat band II so that the staple may be inserted therein, an actuating cam 64 (Figs. 8 to 10) is provided on the shaft 3U which carries the stapling plunger actuating lever 29. As the lever 29 is swung downward (Fig. 4) the cam 64 engages a cam projection 65 (Figs. 9 and 10) fixed to the tiltable link 5I and cams this projection 65 out of the path of the actuating cam 64 so that the link 5I is tilted into its retracted position shown in Fig. 9. In this way the arm 41 is withdrawn in timed relation with the staple driving movement of the plunger I8. Since the surface of the stop projection 62 (Fig. 9) is curved, as indicated at 62a, the arm 41 does not rise as it is retracted but remains at the same angle to the horizontal. By thus retaining the arm 41 depressed as it is retracted, any interference between the arm and the stapler head is prevented. At the completion ofthe staple driving operation the actuating treadle 25 and lever 29 are released so that the parts return to their initial position under the action of their respective biasing springs and weight.

In the operation of the machine described above, the operator places the element to be secured to the band such as the ber strip I2 on the top of the die unit I6, clamps it in position with the clamp I3a, and lays the hat band II loosely in place on top of it. Then the operator depresses the treadle 25 sufiiciently to swing the arm 41 downward from the full line position of Fig. 8 to the dot-dash line position shown in such figure. Thereupon the operator slips the edge of the hat band II into the notched nose 46 of the arm and then further depresses the treadle 25. This further depression of the treadle causes the arm to be rotated from the position of Fig. l1 to that of Fig. 12 so that the wedge shaped fold Ile is formed in the hat band II (Fig, 7).

Upon completion of the folding operation described above the operator continues the downward movement of the treadle 25 so that it pulls down on the link 26 and thereby swings the stapler head I'I downward to clamp the folded hat band against the fiber strip l2. Thereafter the lever 29 is actuated by rocking it downwardly er in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. In the initial movement of the lever the cam 64 acts to retract the dart folding arm 4l to the position shown in Fig. 9, thus moving it free of the clamped ribbon and out of the stapling mechanism. Continued movement of the lever depressing the staple driving plunger I8 which drives the staple I0 through the folded ribbon and stiifening member l2, the die unit I6 acting to bend the staple leg Il)a into the hook form illustrated and to clinch the leg Ib against the under side of the stiifening member to permanently secure the formed ribbon and member together.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stapling machine comprising, in combination, an elongated arm rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a slender nose portion transversely slotted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric inserted therein, means for rotating said arm to form a transverse wedge shaped fold in the fabric, and means for clamping the folded fabric and for stapling the same.

2. A stapling machine comprising, in combi nation, a rotatable member presenting a transverse recess in an outer end thereof adapted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric inserted therein, means for rotating said member to form a transverse fold in the fabric, and means for stapling the portion of the fabric folded by said member.

3. A stapling machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable member presenting a transverse recession in an outer end thereof adapted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric inserted therein, means for rotating said member to form a transverse fold in the fabric, clamping means for clamping the folded fabric, means for withdrawing said rotatable member from engagement with the folded fabric, and means for stapling the folded fabric while it is held in position by said clamping means.

4. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with movable staple driving means and cooperating staple clinching means, of an elongated arm supported at one side of the driving and clinching means for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and for endwise movement,Y said arm having a slotted nose portion adapted to be interposed between the driving and clinching means to receive the edge of a piece of fabric, means for rotating said arm to form a fold in the fabric, means for advancing said staple driving means toward said staple clinching means to staple the fold to the body of the fabric, and means operated in timed relation to the advance of the staple driving means for imparting endwise movement to the arm to withdraw the nose portion thereof from the fold.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with movable staple driving means and cooperating staple clinching means, of an elongated arm supported at one side of the driving and clinchingmeans for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and for endwise movement, said arm having a slotted nose portion adapted to be interposed between the driving and clinching means to receive the edge of a piece of fabric, means for rotating said armto form a fold in the fabric, an actuator operable to advance the staple driving means toward the staple clinching means to staple the fold'to the body of the fabric. and cam means operated'by said actuator for imparting endwise movement to said arm to withdraw the nose portion thereof from the foldbefore the stapling operation takes place.

6. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an elongated arm having 'a nose portion slotted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric,

- means supporting said arm for rotation about an ril' axis extending longitudinally of the arm, means yieldably holding the arm in a predetermined position for the reception of the piece of fabric, and means for rotating the arm from said predetermined position through an angle of approximately two hundred and seventy degrees to form a generally wedge-shaped fold in the fabric.

7. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an elongated arm having a nose portion slotted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric, means supporting said arm for rotation about an aXis extending lengthwise of the arm, means yieldably holding the arm in position for the reception of the piece of fabric, means for rotating the arm from. said position through a predetermined angle to form a generally wedge-shaped fold in the fabric, and means for securing the folded portion to the body of the fabric.

8. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an elongated arm having a nose portion slotted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric, means supporting said arm for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the arm, means yieldably holding the arm in a position for the reception of the piece of fabric, means for ro- 5 tating said arm away from said position through a predetermined angle to form a generally wedgeshaped fold in the fabric, means for holding an auxiliary part at one side of the fabric adjacent the fold, and means for securing the folded portion and the body of the fabric to said part.

9. In a machine of the class described having a movable stapling head and an opposed die unit cooperating with the head, the combination of an elongated arm rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and shiftable endwise toward and from the die unit. said arm having its nose portion slotted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric, means for holding the arm in a retracted position with its nose portion disposed at one side of the head and the'die unit, means for shifting said arm to a position in which its nose portion is interposed between the head and the die unit, means operable to rotate said arm through a predetermined angle to form a fold in the edge of the fabric, means for moving the stapling head to clamp the folded fabric against the die unit, and means operable to impart endwise movement to said arm to withdraw the nose portion thereof from the fold and to drive a staple through the fold and body portion of the fabric.

10. In a machine of the class described -having a movable stapling head and an opposed die unit cooperating with the head, the combination of an elongated arm supported for rotation about portion disposed substantially above the die unit and at the rear of the staple head, actuating means operable initially to swing said arm about its pivot to position the nose portion above and closely adjacent the die unit for receiving the fabric strip and then to rotate the arm about its axis to form a fold in the strip, and other operating means operable initially to impart endl Wise movement to the arm to Withdraw the nose portion from the fold and to operate the stapling head to drive a staple through the folded strip.

11. A machine of the class described comprisingf in combination. a relatively thin, at, elongated arm having a nose portion slotted to receive the edge of a piece of fabric, a housing supporting said arm for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the arm, means sup porting said housing for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely of the axis of said arm, means yieldably holding said housing in an inactive position with the side edges of said arm disposed in a. substantially vertical plane, an actuating means operable initially to swing the housing about its pivot from said inactive position to present the nose portion of the arm in a position to receive the piece of fabric and then to rotate the arm about its longitudinal axis to form a fold in the fabric.

SERAPHINE F. BAUWENS. 

